Suspenders.



we. MBJIB. Patented Fab. l2, lam. F. w. usmom.

(Application filed July 16, 1900.) (Pin IModm.) 2 Sheets-SheetWJITNESSES ma Nouns PETERS co. PNOYO-UYHQH WASHINGTON, by c.

Patented Feb. 12, IQOI- F. W. USTRDM.

SU S P E N D E R8.

(Application filed July 16, 1900.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

INVENTOR WITNESSES rips.

FREFLAND "W. OSIROH, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF Ohlll-IIALF TO STEPHEN C. OSBORNE, OF SAME PLACE.

SUSPENDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 668,118, dated February12, 1901.

Application filed July 16, 1900 Serial No- Z3,718- N model.)

To (all 2071/0777, it ntrty concern,-

Be it known that I, FREELAND IV. OSTROM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Bridgeport, county of Fail-field, State of Connecticut, haveinvented new and useful Suspenders, of which the following is aspecifica tion.

My invention has for its object to so improve the construction ofsuspenders as to permit the lowering of trousers without disconnectingthe hack suspender-ends from the trousers, so that the trousers may bedrawn up to place and the front suspender-ends again attached to thetrousers without the inconvenience attending the reattachinent of thehack suspender-ends to the trousers, an important feature of my novelsuspenders being that the advantage above referred to is obtainedwithout appreciably increasing the cost of production and withoutchanging the construction to such an extent as to interfere in any waywith use in the ordinary manner, if preferred.

With these ends in view my invention consists in providingextensioirpieces between the shoulder-straps and the respective frontsuspender-ends, so that practically the entire length of an extensionpiece and a front suspender-end may be added to each shoulderstrap.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification,Figures 1, 2, and are views illustrating one form in which I havecarried my invention into eitect, Fig. 1 showing the ordinary positionof the suspenders in use, Fig. 2 showing a position of theextension-pieces and the front suspenderends when the shoulder-strapsare drawn up toward the neck, as when lowering the trousers withoutdisconnecting the back suspender-end, and Fig. 5 being a detailsectional View on the line 5 5 in Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and at are Viewsillustrating other forms in which I have carried my invention intoeffect, the ordinary position of the suspenders in use being shown infull lines in both figures and a position of the extension pieces andthe front snspender ends when the shoulderstraps are drawn up toward theneck being shown in dotted lines in both figures; and Figs. 6 and 7 areviews illustrating still another form in which I have carried myinvention into effect, Fig. 7 being a section on the line 7 7 in Fig. 6,showing the parts of a separable front suspender-end separated.

A denotes the shoulder-straps of a pair of suspenders, which may he ofany ordinary or preferred material or style; B, the back suspender-end;C, the front Suspender-ends, and D the extension pieces. The specialconstruction of the front suspenden'ends and the mode of attachment ofthe extension-pieces thereto and to the sho11lderstraps are not of theessence of my invention.

In the form illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 I have shown each frontSuspender-end as comprising a strip 10, having at each end anattaching-eye 11. In ordinary use strip lies in a loop 12, which isrigidly secured to or made integral with a plate 13, said plate beingprovided with a slot 14, through which the shoulder-strap passes. I wishto state distinctly, however, that the special style of buckle used orthe means for adjusting the operative length of the shoulder-straps isnot of the essence of my invention. In the pres ent instance I haveshown one end of each extensiolrpiece as secured to one of theattaching-eyes, as at 15, and the other end of the extension-piece aspassing through slot 14 and secured to plate 13 by means of an eyelet orrivet 16, which may also secure loop 12 to plate 13 if the parts aremade separate. In this form when it is desired to lower the trouserswithout detaching the back suspender-end the front Suspender-ends are dotached and one of the attaching-eyes of each strip 10 and thecorresponding extensionpiece is drawn through the corresponding loop 12,as is clearly shown in Fig. 2.

In the form illustrated in Fig. 3 one end of l0op'12 is secured to plate13, the other end being detachable therefrom and being adapted to beheld in the retaining position by the two members of an ordinarystud-and-socket catch, which I have indicated as a Whole by 17. In thisform the extension-piece is attached to the strip in any suitablemanner, as at 15, the other end being connected to plate 13 in anysuitable manner. I have shown the extension-piece as passed through slot14 and as attached to the plate by means of the shank of the stud whichserves as a member of catch 17. When it is desired to lower the trousersWithout'detaching the back Suspender-end, the detachable ends of loops12 are detached, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, which allows thestrips 10 to drop down, as is also clearly shown in dotted lines.

In the form illustrated in Fig. 4 the extension-pieces D are madecontinuous with the detachable ends of loops 12, the other ends of saidextension-pieces being suitably secured to strip 10, as at 15. Theoperation of this form in lowering the trousers without detaching theback suspender-end is clearly shown in dotted linesin Fig. 4.

In the form illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7 the front suspender-endcomprises two separable parts adapted to be connected together by anordinary stud-and-socket catch 17. One end of the extension-piece isshown as connected to plate 13, which carries one member of the catch,the other end thereof being attached to one of the attaching-eyes 11, asat 15. The attaching-eyes are connected in any suitable manner to aplate 18, which carries the other member of the catch. The operation ofthis form, when it is desired to lower the trousers withoutdisconnecting the back suspenderends, will be clearly understood fromFig. 7, in connection with the other figures of the drawings.

In either of the forms the lengthening of the shoulder-straps by theaddition thereto of the extension-pieces and the front suspenderendsenables the wearer to draw down the suspenders at the back all that maybe necessary to enable him to lower the trousers without disconnectingthe back suspenderends and without danger of losing the frontSuspender-ends. By that I mean that the user is enabledto take hold ofthe extensionpieces or the front suspender-ends and draw theshoulder-straps over toward the front again without the slightestinconvenience.

they may be securely, but detachably, connected together. Any suitableconnection may be usedfor example, tabs 19, attached to the respectivefront suspender-ends and provided with the complementary members of astud-and-socket catch 20. front Suspender-ends are connected together,as in Fig. 2 and in dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 4, the shoulder-straps,extension-pieces, and front suspender-ends become practically onecontinuous strip, the ends of which hang down at the back and are notrequired to be detached from the trousers when the latter are lowered. 7

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In suspenders thecombination with front Suspender-ends and shoulder-straps, of extension-pieces intermediate said parts, substantially as described.

2. In suspenders the combination with shoulder-straps provided withextension-pieces, of suspender-ends secured to correspondingextension-pieces, substantially as described.

3. In suspenders the combination with front suspender-ends and meanswhereby they may be detachably secured together, of shoulderstrapsprovided with extensiompieces whose opposite ends are secured tocorresponding Suspender-ends, substantially as described.

4. In suspenders the combination with the front Suspender-ends, of loopswhereby said suspender-ends are connected to the shoulderstraps, one endof each loop being detachable and being provided with an extension whoseotherend is secured to a front suspender-end.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

.FREEL AND W. OSTROM.

Witnesses:

A. M. WOOSTER, S. W. ATHERTON.

When the,

